Japan to resume funding to UNRWA, following Sweden, Finland and CanadaJapanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss ways the agency could enhance its transparency and governance, including ensuring the traceability of funds and the neutrality of staff.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/3/29/japan-to-resume-funding-to-unrwa-following-sweden-finland-and-canadahttps://archive.is/ZRFNTIsrael may cut off Palestinian banks from global banking system next weekTo protect them from lawsuits involving the Palestinian Authority for “transfering funds to terror groups”, the Israeli government has been issuing a waiver of protection for the two banks on an annual basis, signed by the finance minister. Smotrich is now refusing to renew the arrangement, which has been in place for years.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-may-cut-off-palestinian-banks-global-banking-system-next-weekPalestinian-led campaign calls for haste in rebuilding the PLOThe statement calls for all Palestinians to be included, with the goal of forming a unified leadership able to confront the present challenges including Israel’s plans for the "day after" the war, and the alleviation of the suffering of the Palestinian people.
https://www.newarab.com/news/palestinian-led-campaign-calls-rebuilding-ploHezbollah fires heavy rockets at northern Israel after deadliest day of Israeli strikes on LebanonThe Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired rockets with heavy warheads at towns in northern Israel, saying it used the weapons against civilian targets for the first time Thursday in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes the night before that killed nine, including what the group said were several paramedics.
https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-border-rockets-hezbollah-42f3fb7798f0b1d705f43f36debe7bb8EU bypasses oversight and safeguards to fast track aid money to Egypt – including funds for ‘migration management’Apart from removing the need for parliamentary oversight, the urgent funding procedure also side-steps a requirement for an impact assessment on the effects of the assistance. The deal also includes a €1.8bn (£1.5bn) investment plan and €600m (£512m) in loans, including at least €200m (£170m) that will go to Egypt for “migration management.”
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/eu-bypasses-oversight-and-safeguards-fast-track-aid-money-egypt-including-fundsJeffrey Donaldson: DUP leader resigns after rape chargeSir Jeffrey Donaldson has been charged with rape and other historical sexual offences and has resigned as Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader. A 57-year-old woman has also been charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the alleged offences.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68686691Scotrail workers strike over EasterDespite discussions between ScotRail and TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust, no agreement has yet been reached to change the arrangements which workers argue not only risks their own safety, but those of their passengers.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/scotrail-workers-strike-over-easterExtortionate Easter eggs and shrinking sweets: fears grow of a ‘chocolate meltdown’This week, cocoa prices rose to all-time highs on commodity exchanges in London and New York, reaching more than $10,000 a tonne for the first time, after the third consecutive poor harvest in west Africa. Ghana and Ivory Coast, which together produce more than half of the global cacao crop, have been hit by extreme weather supercharged by the climate crisis and the El Niño weather phenomenon. This has been exacerbated by disease and underinvestment in ageing plantations.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/29/easter-eggs-chocolate-cacao-harvests-cocoa-prices-aoeUS to provide $170 million to Guatemala to prevent irregular migrationThe U.S. government announced on Tuesday that it intends to provide $170 million in assistance to Guatemala to tackle the root causes of migration. The announcement was made during Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo’s four-day visit to Washington, which concluded on Wednesday. The funding — subject to Congressional notification — will go towards development, economic, health and security assistance.
https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-03-28/us-to-provide-170-million-to-guatemala-to-prevent-irregular-migration.htmlLula dismays relatives of dictatorship’s victims by ignoring coup anniversaryIn early March, Lula reportedly told his cabinet he wanted to avoid “inflaming” the political atmosphere. Defense chiefs were also told the armed forces should not celebrate an event some in the military consider a “revolution” that saved Brazil from communist rule. In a recent interview, Lula said: “I’m more worried about the January 2023 coup than the 1964 one, when I was 17. This belongs to history now. It’s already caused the suffering it caused. The people won the right to democratize the country, and the generals in power today were children back then.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/29/lula-brazil-coup-anniversary-dictatorship